On The Front Lines

Everyday The Rutherford Institute is waging a battle to protect the human rights and civil liberties of all people. Whether challenging undue government suppression of civil liberties in the courts or calling upon political leaders to strengthen their commitment to universal moral values, The Rutherford Institute works tirelessly to maintain the rights enshrined in the Constitution, and regain those that have been lost to government intrusion.

On the Front Lines (Rutherford Press Alerts) will keep you abreast of the most recent actions The Rutherford Institute has undertaken in its fight for human rights and civil liberties. From pending litigation to victories for human rights and civil liberties, On the Front Lines is the place to find information on the most pressing issues of the day. The Rutherford Institute is waging for our rights in the courts and beyond. On The Front Lines will keep you up-to-date on the crucial battles

Recent Articles

October 02, 2019

Victory: City Agrees to Settle Lawsuit Over Excessive Security Protocols That Resulted in Arrest of Disabled Veteran for Canned Iced Tea, Bug Spray

In a victory for common sense and the rights of citizens to not have their lawful First Amendment activity chilled by egregious, excessive government security protocols, officials with the City of Charlottesville have agreed to settle a lawsuit brought by The Rutherford Institute. Rutherford Institute attorneys filed the lawsuit on behalf of a disabled war veteran who was arrested in 2018 for lawfully purchasing canned iced tea, bug spray, lightbulbs and razor blades at a mall drug store in so-called “violation” of the city’s pre-emptive “state of emergency” lockdown measures adopted in anticipation of the one-year anniversary of the August 12, 2017, racially-charged protests and counter-protests in the City. The items were banned under the City’s 2018 ordinances and as part of the city’s pre-emptive measures to discourage civil unrest. Illustrating how absurdly illogical the city’s protocols were, the veteran—punished for being in possession of canned iced tea and bug spray—was permitted to open carry two firearms through a downtown mall security checkpoint.

September 26, 2019

Rutherford Institute Challenges Discriminatory Law Preventing Students From Using Scholarships to Attend Private Schools With Religious Ties

Denouncing state laws that claim to advocate for school choice while discriminating against individuals who favor private schools with religious ties, The Rutherford Institute has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reject a provision of Montana’s constitution that prohibits students from using scholarship funds to attend religiously-affiliated private schools. In filing an amicus brief in Espinoza v. Mont. Dept. of Revenue, Rutherford Institute attorneys argue that Montana’s discriminatory law violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Moreover, Institute attorneys point out that the school choice restrictions are the end result of a 150-year-old provision of the state’s constitution known as a “Blaine Amendment,” which was enacted in an era when anti-Catholic prejudice and nativist opposition to immigration from Ireland and Germany were rampant. Thirty-seven states still have versions of the Blaine Amendments in their constitutions.